//------------------------------//
// Returning and Running 
// Story: Rescue on Diamond Mountain 
// by moguera 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 5: Returning and Running

A frightened silence had fallen over the main room of the teahouse as Dawn and Arkenstone stood over the prone form of the stallion that had just tried to kill Dawn.  Luckily, none of the other Crusaders were carrying anything at the moment, having been between runs to serve customers.
Scootaloo rushed over from the table where she'd been serving Carrot Top.  She rushed up to Dawn's side, her eyes wide and her heart beating rapidly.  "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine," said Dawn, turning his head so that he could nuzzle Scootaloo's cheek, "He didn't even touch me."  The colt tilted his head to better see the knife that was embedded up to its handle in the ceiling.  "Though not for lack of trying..."
"Who is this guy?" asked Scootaloo, looking down at the unconscious stallion lying on the floor.
"No idea," said Dawn.
"Well, he's not from around here," said Red River as he stepped into the shop, "He's from out of town, I presume."
"You saw him?" asked Dawn.
"It was kind of hard to miss," replied Red as he leaned down to examine the unconscious unicorn, "He came straight through the market with a pretty grim expression, the look of a stallion on a mission.  From the moment I saw him, it was clear he was looking for somepony and, given recent events, it wasn't hard to guess exactly who he was looking for."
"So now what?" asked Scootaloo, "What do we do with this jerk?"
"We turn him over to Guard custody," said Red, "We'll need to process him through the system fairly quickly so that we can get him shipped up to Canterlot for trial at the earliest opportunity."
"Why the rush?" asked Rumble, also coming over to check on the situation.
"Because this fool is probably just the first of many," said Red in a dour tone, "Unfortunately, the Ponyville Guard station is only fitted with two holding cells.  If these ponies start coming in any kind of numbers, those cells are going to get really crowded really quickly."
Red reached into his sash and pulled out a coiled cord, which he used to bind the unmoving stallion's hooves.  Dipping his head, Red heaved the stallion up onto his shoulders with a grunt.  "Well, I'll be off now."  A few seconds later, he was out the door and it was like he'd never even been there.
Everyone looked at the door before turning to one another.  It was Arkenstone who broke the silence.  "Well, back to work, I suppose..."



"Oh my," gasped Rarity as she allowed the steam from the sauna to seep into the pores of her skin beneath her coat, "It sounds as though things are going wonderfully for you.  It's so nice to know that Caramel and Dawn are getting along so well."
Fluttershy nodded.  She was glad that she had a spa appointment with Rarity today.  After the events of the previous night, it felt good to release all that extra tension and accept a little pampering.  However..."I'm still worried.  What if Miss Softhoof tries to take Dawn away?"
"We shall cross that bridge if we come to it," said Rarity, "May I remind you that she said nothing that suggested she had decided against you as Dawn's mother."
"Yes, but...she didn't seem very happy about my home," said Fluttershy, thinking back on all the little things that the mare from Foal Protection had pointed out.  "I don't think she really understands what Dawn's needs are since she left before she got to interview him."
"I think it will be fine," said Rarity, "I very much doubt that somepony from the Ministry of Welfare would be so incompetent as to fail to note that you are a fine mother.  Above all else, Dawn is quite happy living with you.  I think that would be an assurance in and of itself.
"Besides, we're all standing behind you.  If that mare or the ponies she works for decide to truly make an issue out of this, you can bet that we won't let them have their way.  And you know that, if push comes to shove, Dawn certainly won't let himself be taken away from you."
Fluttershy nodded slowly.  "You're right," she agreed.  Privately, she desperately hoped that things didn't go that far.  From what she knew, there were scant few ponies who could make Dawn do something he didn't want to do.  Luckily, most of them were on Dawn's side.  However, she really wanted to avoid picking a fight with the government if she could help it.
"Don't worry about a thing darling," said Rarity, giving Fluttershy her most encouraging smile, "Everything will turn out alright."
Fluttershy winced at the obvious tempting of fate.  I certainly hope so...



Two days later, Fluttershy got a response in the mail.  They had been a somewhat tense pair of days.  The horror of finding out that somepony had already come to Ponyville and made an attempt on Dawn's life completely undid all the time that Fluttershy had spent at the spa and it had taken a great deal of reassuring from Dawn to calm her back down.  Part of Fluttershy desperately wanted to barricade herself and her son in their home and simply wait things out.  But the better part of her knew that was no solution and that the best thing to do was to trust Dawn to handle himself.  To help combat her anxiety, Fluttershy threw herself fully into making the final preparations for her animal friends' hibernations and migrations as Ponyville braced itself for winter.
As it was, she was in the middle of sweeping out the cottage when she saw Ditzy landing at her mailbox and fishing out a few envelopes.  Fluttershy quickly trotted out to greet the cheerful mailmare.
"Good afternoon Ditzy, is everything going well?"
The gray mare beamed at Fluttershy, her mismatched eyes wobbling unsteadily.  "Everything's going great.  I'm ahead of schedule for all my deliveries and the boss is considering giving me a raise."
"That's wonderful," said Fluttershy, "You certainly deserve one."
Ditzy giggled.  "I guess so.  I mean, I did get a pretty big bonus when I had to take over Cirrus' route-"  She cut herself off at the mention of Scootaloo's father.  His arrest and subsequent banishment from Ponyville was still something of a sore point.  Shaking her head to rid herself of the unpleasant feelings, Ditzy soldiered on.  "But it's not like I really need one, especially after-"  She cut herself off again, this time her cheeks flared bright red as she looked away bashfully, though still smiling brightly.
"What happened?" asked Fluttershy, leaning forward, eager to hear what had her friend so excited and happy.
"Well..."  Ditzy scuffed her hoof against the ground nervously, "It's just that I might not need to work so much for me and Dinky anymore."
"Why not?" asked Fluttershy.
"Because...because Big Macintosh...he..."  Ditzy's face was almost completely red by this point.
Fluttershy gasped, her hooves going to her mouth.  "Big Macintosh!  Oh my!  Did he...?"
"He did," said Ditzy, no longer able to contain her glee, "He proposed!"
"When?" demanded Fluttershy, eager to know all the details.
"During the Harvest Festival," said Ditzy, "He was talking to me when the Wonderbolts were showing off and he showed me the necklace and asked just as Rainbow did her Sonic Rainboom!"
"Oh!  How romantic!" gasped Fluttershy, "I'm so happy for you.  Dinky must be really excited."
Ditzy nodded fervently.  "She's so happy, she's been calling Macintosh 'papa' ever since.  I'm glad she likes him so much.  She was a bit upset when she found out that Dawn and Scootaloo had become a couple."
Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle at that.  She wondered how exactly Dawn would react to the fact that Dinky had apparently had a crush on him.  As far as she knew Dawn was completely clueless about it.  "When's the wedding?" she asked.
"I don't know," said Ditzy with a noncommittal shrug, "We haven't really decided on a date yet.  Macintosh is still worried about how some of the other mares in town will react when they find out we're engaged."
"Don't you worry about that," said Fluttershy, leaning forward to nuzzle Ditzy, "Me and the girls are all behind you.  I know a lot of other ponies will be happy for you too."
"Thanks," said Ditzy.  She hoofed over Fluttershy's mail and took to the air.  "I've gotta go.  It's been nice talking to you 'Shy."
Fluttershy waved as Ditzy flew away.  She found herself marveling at how much more at ease Ditzy seemed in the air now.  It seemed that learning to sense her surroundings through the wind had done a great deal to correct her flight problems.  Fluttershy couldn't recall hearing anything about Ditzy crashing into anything recently.
Humming cheerfully, Fluttershy trotted back into the cottage to inspect her mail.  Talking to Ditzy had done wonders for her temper as she found it easier to not worry so much about Dawn's wellbeing at the moment.  However, any good feelings that her recent conversation had stirred quickly died when she saw the envelope at the top of the pile.  It was from the Foal Protection.
For a moment, Fluttershy simply stared dumbly at the envelope, trembling fiercely.  She was almost too afraid to open it, terrified of what it might say.  However, simply ignoring it would not make the problem go away.  So, with a deep breath, Fluttershy peeled back the flap and withdrew the letter.



To Dame Fluttershy of Ponyville;

After reviewing the evidence and evaluations provided by Agent Softhoof regarding your suitability as acting mother to Dawn Lightwing, the Department of Foal Protection has determined that the preliminary findings to be too inconclusive to reach an effective decision.  As such, it has been decided that Agent Softhoof will conduct a thorough and complete investigation to fully evaluate your qualifications to serve as mother to Dawn Lightwing.
Agent Softhoof will contact you when she returns to Ponyville.  Your full cooperation and that of any individuals or agencies that Agent Softhoof chooses to contact will be expected.  Any lack of cooperation may lead to the decision that you are not a suitable parent to Dawn Lightwing and could result in his removal from your custody and care.  It is imperative that you provide Agent Softhoof with everything she needs to perform a comprehensive investigation so that there may be no doubt in our verdict.

Sincerely;
Grayblood, Departmental Director



Fluttershy set the letter down and took a long minute to gather her thoughts.  Part of her was genuinely relieved that the letter hadn't been an outright rejection of her qualifications to be Dawn's mother.  However, apprehension weighed down on her soul.  There was clearly sufficient doubt that they were going to take a much closer and harder look at her and Dawn's life in order to determine just how fit to be a parent she really was.
Fluttershy cast another glance at the letter.  What do I do now?
The answer came to her almost immediately.  After all, she wasn't alone.  She had Dawn, she had Caramel, and she had her friends.  Once she realized that, Fluttershy had a good idea of where to begin.



"Hmm..."  Twilight Sparkle's eyes wandered over the text of the letter again, "Well, it's definitely not the worst news," she said.  Like the others, she'd heard about Softhoof's original visit.  In all honesty, from what she'd heard about Foal Services investigations, Twilight was rather surprised to hear that Softhoof had wrapped up her initial investigation so quickly.  Depending on the circumstances, that was either a very good or a very bad sign.
"Is there anything I can do?" asked Fluttershy nervously.
Twilight shook her head.  "There isn't much," she said, "This kind of investigation is very thorough.  If you try to put on any kind of front, you can bet that this Softhoof mare will see right through it.  Most likely, she's going to analyze quite a few factors in your life.  She'll probably look at everything from psychological evaluations of you and Dawn to your financial records to determine your fitness for parenthood and your compatibility with Dawn."  She glanced towards the door to the library, outside of which sat Arkenstone's teahouse, where Dawn was currently working.
"The best thing to do is to get all the information we think Softhoof might need and have it together for easy access.  You and Dawn should probably visit the hospital and get a full medical checkup.  You can schedule a psyche evaluation too.  Then you'll need to go to request your financial records from Town Hall.  It could take a few days to get everything organized."  Twilight turned her attention back to Fluttershy.  "Do you know when Softhoof will be back?"
"No," said Fluttershy, "There's no indication when she'll be back in town."
"Then we should probably hurry," said Twilight, "Foal Protection doesn't like to drag their hooves on this sort of thing.  Spike!"
"What is it?" asked the young dragon as he came into the main room of the library from the kitchen.
"I need you to run to the teahouse and call Dawn over here," said Twilight.
The dragon nodded and rushed out to do as he was bid.
Fluttershy began to tremble nervously.  "Oh my...I hope Dawn takes this alright.  He was very upset when he first found out what Miss Softhoof was here for."
"But you and Caramel managed to make him see sense," Twilight pointed out, "I think he'll cooperate just fine."
"Alright," said Fluttershy uncertainly, tapping her hooves together, "If you say so."



When Spike returned with Dawn, Fluttershy and Twilight explained the situation to him.  Much to Fluttershy's relief, Dawn was willing to cooperate and do his part to ensure that everything went well.  Twilight immediately set aside her other projects to help prepare Fluttershy for the inspection.  She sent Spike to Town Hall to request Fluttershy's financial records from Mayor Mare, while Fluttershy and Dawn went to the hospital to take care of the rest.  Twilight went through the process of putting together a file of all the information she thought would be relevant to the investigation.  When Spike returned with the requested information, Twilight went through the painstaking process of sorting and organizing it.  She was in the middle of this when Arkenstone came in, having finished closing the teahouse for the evening.
"How are things going?" asked the stallion as he leaned forward, laying his head over Twilight's shoulder so that his cheek was gently resting agains hers, as though he was trying to read over her shoulder.
"They're going alright," said Twilight, "Fluttershy's finances are solid.  She gets a pretty good wage from the town for her services to the local wildlife.  It's more than enough to support her and Dawn, especially considering that they aren't ones for a lot of material goods.  She's got no outstanding debts, no worrying expenditures, nothing that should raise any red flags."
"That's good," said Arkenstone, "And you might want to note that, if her relationship with Caramel continues to develop, then his income will become further support for Dawn in the future."
"Good idea," agreed Twilight, "Though I don't think we'll need to dig up Caramel's financial records right away.  Fluttershy's alone are good enough, since she's already more than able to support Dawn on her own."
"Is there anything worrying?" asked Arkenstone, still hearing a note of concern in Twilight's voice.
"Well..." said Twilight, "Fluttershy's usually dependable and trustworthy, but she's had her moments.  There was what happened at the Grand Galloping Gala, and then there was that time she took assertiveness lessons from Iron Will."
"One or two isolated incidents won't be enough to disqualify her," said Arkenstone, "Particularly since nopony was hurt by them."
"There's something else that bothers me," said Twilight, "There's Dawn's hospital records to worry about.  He's been there three times since he's come to Ponyville, twice for serious injuries.  I'm not so worried about the records from when Fluttershy took him there after the visit to Cloudsdale, but the other two times..."
The first time Dawn had visited Ponyville's hospital, it was because Applejack had bucked him, breaking a wing and cracking his ribs.  It had taken the colt over a week, with the aid of healing magic, to recover from the injury.  The second time had been after his duel with Storm Front and Red River, the injuries he received from that encounter taking a full month to fade completely.  If Softhoof read those records, it might be enough for her to declare Ponyville to be an unsuitable environment for Dawn, and could lead to severe repercussions for Applejack and the two mercenary stallions, though the latter two had been trying to help Dawn at the time, in a rather roundabout way.
"I anticipated that possibility when I first came here," mentioned Arkenstone, "I was the one who recommended those two to Shining Armor for this job in the first place.  I used some of my authority to have those records sealed."
"You can do that?" asked Twilight.
"Well yes," replied Arkenstone, "The process is a little roundabout so that it can be done without us having to reveal our identities, but the seal on those files can only be rescinded by Princess Celestia herself.  Given the circumstances, I find it highly unlikely that she will do so."
"That's a relief," said Twilight, though her fears weren't completely allayed.  After all, the fact that those medical records had been sealed at all would probably come off as suspicious to Softhoof.  Still, as long as Softhoof wasn't able to actually see them, then they couldn't be used against Fluttershy and Dawn.
"What else are you doing?" asked Arkenstone.
"Well, I'm going to make arrangements with Rarity and Rainbow Dash to serve as character witnesses for Fluttershy.  I'm afraid that she's going to have to contact her own family in Cloudsdale if Softhoof needs to interview them.  There isn't much else we can do at this point."
Twilight sighed and Arkenstone gently rubbed his cheek against hers, reassuring her.  "We'll be fine," said Arkenstone, "I think we can have faith in your friends."



Fluttershy and Dawn returned with the report from Dawn's checkup.  Aside from the tiny signs of previously healed injuries, the colt was in the pink of health as far as the doctor was concerned, even better, if that was at all possible.  Dawn's build, a result of his constant martial arts training, was nearly comparable to that of a professional athlete, like Rainbow Dash.
The psyche evalutations for both Dawn and Fluttershy had been scheduled, but it was likely that they wouldn't be completed before Softhoof arrived.  Still, all the signs so far were positive and nopony had any doubt that the investigation would result in Foal ruling in Fluttershy's favor.



Softhoof looked out the window as she watched the town of Ponyville slowly crawl back into view.  From the train, it was an idyllic little hamlet, the kind of place that parents who didn't obsess over big cities like Canterlot and Manehattan would love to raise their children in.  Softhoof could attest from personal experience that a closer look had only added to the town's charm.  The ponies were friendly and engaging, with a strong sense of community that only served to add to the list of ponies who might be acting as unofficial support for Dawn.
All that had been included in her original report, of course.  But, for some reason, Grayblood had still rejected her conclusion.  But the way he'd done so had disturbed Softhoof more than the decision itself.  She had to admit that there were quite a few oddities with Dawn and his situation.  However, most of the signs she had seen during her initial investigation had seemed positive.  And there was also the fact that Princess Celestia herself had apparently looked into Dawn's situation and was satisfied with his current arrangements.
And yet, Grayblood still insisted that Softhoof investigate more thoroughly.  More importantly, the way he had phrased it put her on edge.  It almost sounded as though he wanted Softhoof to find something wrong with the situation, whatever pretense it might be, and use that to declare Fluttershy unfit to be Dawn's mother.  He'd made it sound that if she simply ended up affirming her previous verdict, he would simply take her off the case and send in somepony who would give him what he seemed to want.
But why? she wondered.  For as long as she had worked under him, which was the entirety of her career, Softhoof had never known Grayblood to pull something like this, to be so adamant that she come to a particular decision in an investigation.  He was almost as heavily invested in the welfare of the foals they investigated as she was.  He was a stallion who took his job very seriously and thought of the foals first.
Her mind drifted back to what Grayblood had told her.  "Some very important ponies are showing a great deal of interest in this colt..."  She wondered just who those important ponies could be.  Her mind drifted to the article that had been written about Dawn, which had included the threats he had been dealing with.  Was Grayblood, perhaps, involved with the Cult Solar?  It seemed preposterous to Softhoof.  She hadn't even heard of the group before reading the article about Dawn.  There was no way that her longtime boss was a member of such an organization...was there?
The shrill squeal of brakes and the jolt of the train's deceleration broke Softhoof away from her train of thought.  She was back in Ponyville.  As she stepped off the train, her eyes took in the station and the surrounding countryside, pausing to appreciate the riot of colors that decorated the trees, now that autumn was in full swing.  Here and there, she could see ponies putting up streamers and decorations for some kind of festival or party.
The first thing Softhoof decided to do was head for the inn and book herself a room.  She had no idea how long she would be in Ponyville this time.  However, it was clear that she was in for the long haul.



"What do you mean there are no rooms?" demanded Softhoof, trying her hardest not to glare at the beleaguered mare behind the desk.
"I'm sorry ma'am.  But the Running of the Leaves is just a day away and a lot of ponies are here for it," said the mare apologetically, "All of our rooms are booked.  But there are ponies in town who sometimes have rooms to offer.  If you ask around, I'm sure you'll find something.  You might check with Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner, she always has information about that sort of thing."
Letting out a depressed sigh, Softhoof turned and walked out of the inn.  I have the worst timing, she thought.  Still, she figured she could at least follow the receptionist's advice and visit this Sugarcube Corner place.  Who knows, she thought, Maybe rooming in somepony's house will actually cost me less than staying at the inn.
Walking through town, she eventually spied the structure, shaped like a gingerbread house.  Her eyes took in the sign on the front and she realized this was her destination.  Gingerly, Softhoof eased open the door, wincing at the sound of the bell ringing above her.  Stepping into the room, she looked around, her eyes taking in the sight of ponies seated at tables, enjoying various baked treats.
"Hi there!" exclaimed a pony, who popped out from behind the counter with all the suddenness of a haunted house specter, "What can I do for you?"
"Um...are you Pinkie Pie?" asked Softhoof, taking a guess based on the mare's coloration.
The pink mare froze, her eyes going wide.  "Wow!  That's a really good guess!  How'd you know!  I mean, I know everypony in town and everypony in town knows me so it's obvious that they'd know who I was but I don't know you which means you aren't from town which happens a lot because I like meeting ponies from out of town but you already know me which never happens."
"Um..."  Softhoof wasn't even sure what the manic mare had said, much less how to respond to it.
"Oh right!  Where were we?"  Pinkie tapped her chin for a second.  "That's right, I'm Pinkie Pie.  How can I help you?"
Shaking her head to clear it, Softhoof tried to keep her composure.  You've got a job to do.  "Well, I'm in Ponyville for work, but all the rooms at the inn are booked."
Pinkie nodded rapidly.  "That's right.  Ponyville's Running of the Leaves is really famous and everypony loves it.  So we get a lot of ponies from out of town who want to watch or run in it."
Softhoof nodded, not appreciating having to sit through the same explanation a second time.  "The point is, the receptionist at the inn said that some ponies in town rent out their rooms to visitors.  She said you might know who I could ask."
Once again, Pinkie's head blurred up and down as she nodded.  "Yep, I know all sorts of ponies who have rooms for rent.  What are you in town for?"
"It's government business," said Softhoof, "I'm with the Department of Foal Protection."
"Oh!  You're the mare who talked to Fluttershy about Dawn!" exclaimed Pinkie.
"You know her?" asked Softhoof, her heartbeat quickening.  She gulped and carefully eyed the exit.
"Yep, sure do," replied Pinkie cheerfully, "Fluttershy's one of my best friends after all.  She was all worried because she'd heard you're coming back."
Softhoof gulped, trying gauge Pinkie's attitude towards her.  Ponies were close in small towns like this and ponies often didn't like it when an agent of the government was poking around in a close friend's business, no matter how justified said poking might have been.  It wouldn't have been the first time that a friend of object of her investigation had tried to "dissuade" her from carrying an investigation out.
Pinkie Pie, however, seemed completely unaware of Softhoof's discomfort, instead seeming to be lost in thought.  "Hmm...now what's the best choice?"  Suddenly, her eyelids shot up.  "Oh!  I know!  You could ask Caramel.  He has a nice house and he rents out his extra rooms all the time."
A bit surprised that Pinkie didn't seem to mind the fact that Softhoof was investigating Fluttershy at all, Softhoof could only nod.  "Thank you for your suggestion.  Where can I talk to this Caramel pony?"
"Caramel works at Bon Bon's candy shop," said Pinkie, pointing towards the door, "It's just a little ways down Saddle Street with a big sign saying Bon Bon's Bon Bons.  You can't miss it!  Now, can I get you anything?"
Stepping away slightly from the still grinning mare, Softhoof edged towards the exit.  "No thank you, Miss Pie.  However, your assistance and cooperation is appreciated."
"Okey dokey lokey," said Pinkie, "Have a nice day."
Softhoof had to fight to keep herself from bolting as she stepped out the door.  The pink mare unnerved her, but she was even more surprised that Pinkie hadn't objected to Softhoof's presence in the slightest.  Following Pinkie's directions, Softhoof trotted down Saddle Street until her eyes found the shop in question.  Stepping in, her nose was flooded by the scent of sugar.  Her eyes wandered over the selection of candies and confections on sale, a riot of color to draw the eye, even as the scents in the air appealed to her palate.
Behind the counter waited a tan-colored stallion, who smiled politely at her as she stepped in.  Softheart's eyes took in his neatly combed mane and tail, along with the three-horseshoe cutie mark on his flank before meeting his light-blue eyes.
"Hi," said the stallion, "Welcome to Bon Bon's Bon Bons, what can I get for you?"
"Are you Caramel?" asked Softhoof, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Uh...yes..."
"I'm Agent Softhoof from the Department of Foal Protection.  I heard that you sometimes rent out your spare rooms to visitors from out of town.  I would like to do that, if you don't mind."  Softhoof was starting to get agitated from the continuous runaround she was getting, making her more curt than she would normally like.
"So you're the mare Fluttershy was going on about," said Caramel, his smile fading.
"You know her?" asked Softhoof, getting the impression that this had been a deliberate move on Pinkie Pie's part.
"She's actually my fillyfriend," said Caramel matter-of-factly.
"Oh..."
"So you need a room," continued the stallion, oblivious to Softhoof's surprise, "I don't have any problem with that.  If you don't mind waiting 'til I finish for the day, I can take you to my place and you can get settled in."
"I-what?"  Softhoof was caught completely off-guard by Caramel's words.  He'll rent me a room, just like that...Even though I'm here to investigate his fillyfriend?
"If you don't mind hanging about, it'll be about an hour before I get off," said Caramel, "I'd give you directions, but all the houses here look the same, so it's better if I just show you where it is."  He gestured to a door leading into the back of the store, presumably where all the confections were made.  "You can wait in there if you want.  I think there's still some coffee leftover from this morning if you want something to drink...or there might be something in the icebox, but most of it is either Bon Bon's or Lyra's, so I'd say it's probably better not to touch anything."
Softhoof stepped into the back, looking around and taking in the sight of the shop's kitchen, which also apparently doubled as the kitchen for the owners, complete with a dining table and a door leading to the living quarters in the back and upstairs.  With a sigh, Softhoof settled into her seat and dug a book out of her stuffed saddlebags and waited.
She lost herself in the book until the next thing she knew was Caramel shaking her shoulder.  "Okay, time for us to go," he said, leading the olive-colored mare out of the shop.  As they headed out through the front, Softhoof spotted the owner, who was now running the counter in Caramel's place.  She gave Softhoof a polite smile and an incline of her head.
"I have to say," said Softhoof as she followed Caramel along the street, "I wasn't expecting you to be so helpful."
"Well, I can't say I'm too happy that you've suddenly decided that my fillyfriend might be unfit to be a mother after she's been looking after Dawn for a few months now," said Caramel, "But you're just doing your job and you're doing it out of concern for his wellbeing, so I can't really hold it against you.  Besides, I'd think getting in your way and trying to stop you from doing your investigation probably wouldn't help 'Shy's case."
Softhoof nodded.  After all, she'd experienced such interference in past investigations, ponies seeming not to realize that the most surefire way to announce that you had something to hide was to try and interfere with the one doing the investigating.  Even so, she was impressed by this stallion's willingness to support her by providing her with a place to stay while she worked.
Caramel led her down the street to his house, which he unlocked.  Going in quickly, he got her an extra key and hoofed it over.  "Your room is at the top of the stairs, first door on the left," he said, "You can go ahead and drop off your stuff.  I'll lay out some fresh linens."
"If you don't mind," said Softhoof, "I would like to begin my investigation as soon as possible.  Would it be possible to start by interviewing you?  Character witnesses are important."
"I guess," said Caramel, "I'm surprised you'd ask me.  Wouldn't anything I say be considered biased?"
"Of course," said Softhoof, "But I've found that there's no such thing as an objective character witness.  Besides, for good or for ill, the best way to find out about a pony is to ask those who know her best, which usually means asking her friends."
Caramel nodded.  "Go and drop off your stuff and I'll meet you in the kitchen."
A few minutes later saw Softhoof and Caramel in the kitchen.  Softhoof's questions were fairly basic to begin with, starting with Caramel's relationship to Fluttershy, particularly its current status.  She was especially interested in how Dawn was involved in their relationship.
"Well, I won't say it's been a simple thing," said Caramel, in response to the question, "If Fluttershy and I got together in a more permanent fashion, that would technically make me Dawn's 'dad' I guess.  But that would be a kind of awkward way to describe it."
"How so?" asked Softhoof.
"Well, Dawn's pretty self-reliant for a colt his age.  Heck, he's more self-sufficient than some adults I know.  He's lived on his own for an extended period of time.  He could do it for longer, if he wanted.  He's got a job now, even a fillyfriend and he doesn't even have his cutie mark yet."
"Tell me more about his job," said Softhoof.  Fluttershy had mentioned it in an early interview, but Softhoof hadn't thought to press for more details before she'd left.  It had been a minor matter before.  But every detail mattered now.
"He works at the teahouse next to the library," explained Caramel, "He usually serves the customers and helps with preparing the tea sometimes.  His friends actually work with him there."
"Is this a common practice here?" asked Softhoof.
"Somewhat," said Caramel, "The school goes on half-day schedules during the harvest season so that the kids from farms can go help their families.  Those that aren't from farming families usually take some sort of job in the afternoon to earn bits for themselves to spend on treats over the winter break.  Usually, the younger kids get jobs running smalltime errands, but the older ones, like Dawn, get something closer to real jobs.  Some kids, like Dawn, take a liking to their job and keep at it even after school ends for the year."
Softhoof nodded.  She'd figured as much.  It wasn't an uncommon arrangement for most agricultural towns, like Ponyville.  It was generally a good sign, since it meant that the foal was getting some sense of independence and direction in their life.  It was also something that foals sometimes used to help find their purpose in life, along with their cutie marks, particularly if they were late bloomers.  Still, hearing it from Caramel helped Softhoof get a feel for the stallion who might be an important part of Dawn's life and just how much he knew about the colt he might be a parent for one day.
"So Dawn Lightwing enjoys this work then?" she asked.
Caramel nodded vigorously.  "He loves it.  Since he'd gotten used to foraging and eating food raw, he doesn't have a lot experience with cooking and other preparations.  So he's kinda fascinated by all of it.  I once took him to the candy shop with me so he could see how I work.  He really enjoyed himself, but he's not one for sweets.  Since he likes tea and Arkenstone was opening a teashop, I figured he might enjoy working there and learning more about making different kinds of tea.  I guess I was right, since he loves it there."
"That's good to hear," said Softhoof, "It sounds as though you have a very good relationship with Dawn Lightwing."
"I'd say we get along pretty well," said Caramel, "He doesn't mind me dating his mom and he enjoys hanging out.  Sometimes the three of us get together and do stuff as a family.  He and Fluttershy are even going to move in with me for the winter."
"Why is that?" asked Softhoof.  It certainly wasn't an arrangement she was familiar with.
"Well, once Fluttershy's animals either migrate out or go into hibernation for the season, her cottage gets pretty lonely during the season.  On top of that, it becomes a pretty hard trip to get into town once the snow starts falling.  I figured it might be a nice thing to try, so that the three of us could all get used to living together."
Softhoof thought things over.  It wasn't an arrangement she had ever heard of before, but that wasn't overly surprising in and of itself.  One of the most important things she had learned from her job was that, no matter how long you worked, you never saw everything.  Ponies could still find a way to surprise you, no matter how experienced you were.  On the whole, it didn't seem like a bad idea, given the unique nature of the situation.
It was clear that Caramel had developed a strong understanding of the colt, making it unlikely that his and Fluttershy's relationship was going to be detrimental to Dawn.  If anything, given the experiences Dawn had been through, Softhoof thought that Caramel would be an excellent father figure to such a colt, albeit differently from how most stallions envisaged fathers being.
From there, the interview covered familiar ground, with Softhoof asking for more specific details about Fluttershy and her character.  Caramel did his best to provide honest answers, impressing the olive unicorn with his willingness to be open about somepony so close to him.
"Thank you for your cooperation," said Softhoof after she wrapped up her questions.
"Sure," said Caramel, "If you're gonna continue your investigation, Twilight Sparkle's been getting a file together with all the information you should need for your investigation.  She said she doesn't have everything yet, but most of it should be ready by now."
Softhoof nodded, humming in appreciation.  Things were looking more and more positive with each passing minute.  Fluttershy definitely had her faults as a pony, Caramel had been willing (barely) to point that out.  However, she had the support of good friends who were willing to help her prepare for Softhoof's investigation; and not "preparing" in the sense that most ponies who were about to be investigated by Foal Protection Services did, by trying to deceive the investigator in some way, but by ensuring that Softhoof had everything she needed to perform a thorough and accurate assessment of Fluttershy's maternal capabilities.  It spoke volumes of their confidence in Fluttershy's character, which spoke volumes for Fluttershy herself.
And yet, Softhoof couldn't shake the foreboding feeling sinking into the pit of her stomach.  Given how things were looking, it was virtually impossible that she would have any justification to judge Fluttershy unsuitable to be Dawn Lightwing's mother.  But...what if that wasn't good enough for Grayblood?
Frowning, Softhoof shook the irritating thought out of her head.  I'll just have to do the best I can and hope that it all works out.



As Softhoof expected, the investigation proved to be a fruitful one.  It took her a full five days to wrap it up.  During that time, she got to watch Ponyville's famous Running of the Leaves, which proved to be an unexpected bonus of her extended stay in the town.  The sight of leaves falling en-mass, in the wake of the runners was a sight to behold, as were the bonfires where the leaves were collected and burned.  All told, the event provided a welcome respite to Softhoof, as it constituted a town holiday, where government workers (even those who weren't technically part of the town's government) were given the day off so that they could enjoy the festivities.  The sole exception was Mayor Mare and her only governmental role was to act as master of ceremonies when presenting the medals to the top-placers; Rainbow Dash taking the gold, Applejack the silver, and an unexpected showing by Twilight Sparkle, who managed to snag the bronze this year.
As she expected, all the information she examined seemed to show that Fluttershy would be excellent in a position of motherhood.  She was financially sound.  The psyche evaluations Fluttershy and Dawn had gotten showed no signs that the two of them were at risk by staying together.
Softhoof had even been able to interview Dawn himself.  The colt was apologetic for how he had behaved towards her the first time they'd met, if still a little guarded.  However, it was very clear that he wanted to stay with Fluttershy and that he was very happy exactly where he was.
She also interviewed Rainbow Dash and Rarity, two of Fluttershy's closest friends, as further character witnesses.  The interview with Dash had been...harrowing was the word Softhoof would use to describe it.  Rainbow had not been very happy with her, the cerulean mare looking as though she wanted to chase Softhoof out of town for even daring to suggest that Fluttershy might be unfit to be Dawn's mother.  She was especially irritated that her taking Dawn to Cloudsdale appeared to be the whole impetus behind the sudden reevaluation of Fluttershy's status.  In spite of that, she managed to keep herself under control, having apparently been counseled by Twilight that cooperating with Softhoof's investigation was in Fluttershy's best interests.
Rarity, on the other hoof, had been an entirely different experience.  In the first place, the alabaster mare had insisted on holding the interview at the spa, all while paying for Softhoof to enjoy every one of the most luxurious services the place had to offer, which were exceptional to be sure.  However, Softhoof was fully aware that Rarity was essentially trying to butter her up with the pampering to try and influence her verdict.  The fashionista could also be infuriatingly evasive with her answers when she wanted to be, always trying to dance around the issue whenever there was a chance that the discussion could end up highlighting some of Fluttershy's faults.  Still, much of the information Softhoof had gained from Rarity was pertinent and coincided with what Fluttershy's other character witnesses had told her.
The only point of contention were Dawn's medical records.  While his most recent checkup had showed the colt to be perfectly healthy, what had caught Softhoof's eye was the fact that Dawn had been to the hospital for emergency treatments on two occasions over a troublingly short period of time.  Those incidents had occurred very early on during the period of Dawn's stay in Ponyville, the first actually happening before Dawn had been officially adopted by Fluttershy.  But what truly raised Softhoof's eyebrows was that the files were completely beyond her reach.



"I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to discuss those incidents with you," said Redheart as she put Dawn's file (or at least the part of it that was unclassified) back in its drawer, "The files pertaining to those events have been sealed by a governmental order."
"Was it Twilight Sparkle?" asked Softhoof.  Twilight Sparkle was Princess Celestia's personal student.  She might have pulled strings to get those files sealed to try and protect Fluttershy.
"Honestly, I shouldn't be answering any of your questions regarding that," said Redheart, "But no, it wasn't Twilight Sparkle.  She's a civilian.  While technically a ranking noble, she's only a knight and has no governmental authority."
"But-"
"And if you're suggesting that maybe she asked Princess Celestia to seal the files on her behalf, that would be incorrect," interjected Redheart, "The seal didn't come from the Princess.  In fact, we don't know who it came from."
"How is that possible?" demanded Softhoof, "You can't restrict information at that level and not hide your identity."
Redheart merely shrugged.  "I don't know how it's possible either.  But Doctor Stable contacted Canterlot and confirmed it.  The order sealing those reports is legitimate and can only be rescinded by the order of Princess Celestia or Princess Luna.  You'll have to talk to them if you want to peruse that report for yourself."
Softhoof frowned.  It was clear that somepony was trying to hide something.  However, those reports constituted the only real wrinkle in her investigation.  It certainly wasn't enough for her to revise her opinion.  Softhoof decided to include a note about the sealed files and leave it at that.  This would prove to be the final part of her investigation.



"So when can we expect a verdict?" asked Caramel as he set out a bowl of daisy oatmeal for Softhoof on the morning of the sixth day.
"Soon," said Softhoof, "I expect a response of some sort within the next couple of days, allowing time for delivery."  She took a bite, enjoying the flavor of her breakfast before washing it down with a sip of coffee.
"But why didn't you deliver it in pony, like you did last time?" asked Caramel.
"Procedure," answered Softhoof, "If an extended investigation is ordered, then the investigator has to remain on-site in case my boss doesn't think I've gotten enough information."  Which shouldn't happen this time, she thought to herself.  "It's mostly to cut down on the expense of shuttling the agent back and forth between Canterlot and wherever they're working."
"Makes sense I guess," said Caramel, "Is it possible to get an idea of what the answer's gonna be."
"Well, I obviously can't speak for my department head," said Softhoof, "But he's never rejected my recommendation before."  Except for this most recent one, she thought with a wince, "Given all the information I've reviewed, I see no reason why Fluttershy can't remain Dawn Lightwing's legal guardian and official mother."
"That's good to hear," said Caramel.
Softhoof smiled and nodded.  She was looking forward to wrapping up this investigation.  Maybe, if things worked out, she could simply send in an application for some vacation time once she got Grayblood's response back.  Though she didn't want to admit it out loud, Ponyville was really starting to grow on her.
However, there was a nagging notion in the back of her mind.  It was true that Grayblood had always trusted her judgment in the past.  There should have been no reason for him to reject her assessment.  But she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was seriously wrong.



True to Softhoof's expectations, Ditzy arrived with a reply from Grayblood the very next day.  The turnaround was actually faster than she'd thought it would be.  However, when she read the response, Softhoof's blood turned to ice in her veins.
An hour later, she was at the library with Twilight.  Caramel had fetched both Dawn and Fluttershy.  The distressed urgency of Softhoof's request to see all of them had left the stallion on edge as he and the others waited for what she had to say.
But Softhoof had nothing to say for herself.  Instead, she presented the letter she had received from her superior.



To Agent Softhoof of Foal Protection Services;
It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that your decision on the case of Dawn Lightwing has been deemed invalid.  Your investigation was found to be insufficient and a new investigation has been ordered.  Dawn Lightwing and Dame Fluttershy are to be reevaluated.
Furthermore, as you have failed to act appropriately in this matter, this case has been removed from your jurisdiction and will be reassigned to somepony capable of carrying out the investigation properly.  Report to Canterlot immediately to receive your new assignment.

Sincerely;
Grayblood: Deparmental Director